Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is finally out and we are going to discuss it. Nintendo has taunted us for 18 years—nearly an eternity—before finally releasing the game and posting on social media the question ‘Have you jumped in this weekend?’ Gamers, most definitely, responded to it. The reactions were full of hype and love, but some even went to the extent of being really harsh on the game. It is the usual internet disorder, but this time it is about a game that had been anticipated for literal decades.
What’s the plan, next? The game has already been sold and users have started taking it for a spin. In fact, quite a few of them are on cloud nine about it. One among them is Corey Cooper (MetroidFREAK21) who uploaded a screenshot that shows almost 100% score, which is really awesome. Another user, justfilthy, reacted with a celebration pic saying they are ‘totally enjoying it’. Dante Paris also added: ‘Of course. 9h45m in’—which means that he has really become attached to his Switch. Many of the gamers are giving off the feeling of relief and joy. After all, Samus is back, and the action takes place in an old-fashioned manner so the wait is worth it.
On the other hand, stop right there! No drama, no major Nintendo release event. The whole discussion of the game got soon to be weird and strange. Among the criticisms, some of the murmurs were very…
specific. Like, actually, really specific. The user syramio claims that people on YouTube are sharing their difficulties with the game, the reasons being, irritating characters, the world being unliveable, and a new event where the player has to go see a certain character in order to get the power-ups, which was not the case before. The last point being a significant break from the classic Metroidvania flow, it has certainly left some players perplexed.
Then there is the matter of ‘handholdy-ness.’ User Tyrenzael drew attention to it by putting it in the context of the initial arguments about Breath of the Wild’s weapon durability and Dread’s EMMIs. It is a feeling that the game might be leading players a bit too much, which can go against the series’ reputation of being one of exploration and seclusion. Some players, like TerminaElegy, are understanding: ‘It is good to experiment with new techniques once in a while but the gamers have open world fatigue. It did not bother me that much personally but I do get the criticsai.’ Thus, the case is not completely against the developers, rather it is a debate over the creative choices that have been made.
And oh boy, the amiibo drama. This one got really heated for a little while. User OsvelGames ranted that it was ‘outrageous’ and Nintendo was ‘demanding $30 for the right to listen to the music that was supposed to be in the game.’ This was about a special amiibo that would enable the player to unlock a jukebox feature for listening to in-game music as long as the player was on the bike. However, other players quickly came to the rescue and were all pointing to user RecallMyName and others. They repeatedly said that the feature ‘can be unlocked in-game. The amiibo just does it instantly.’ So it was not a paywall, just a shortcut. But that initial anger spread rapidly, showcasing how even a little misinformation can spark a huge fire online.
There were also some negative comments about the price, especially from areas outside the US. User Viv mentioned that it costs ‘ $100 in Canadian currency, for some inexplicable reason, which is higher than 99% of games.’ A considerable sum of money, indeed! And original_bungus simply remarked, ‘I will when I can afford it,’ and that is a feeling we can all relate to.
In spite of all the nitpicking and sudden outrage, a good number of players are cutting through the noise. User Jim164555555555 put it the best: ‘It is very good. Not a masterpiece but it deserves some of the fair criticisms it has received along with an avalanche of unwarranted hate.’ This seems to be the opinion of those who are actually playing the game. They acknowledge the flaws—the perhaps-too-chatty characters, the new systems to master—but they are having a blast anyway. It was SeaSirocco who said: ‘Despite its shortcomings, it is still an enjoyable game and I had a lot of fun playing it.’
It is really funny to see the entire thing unfold in the threads. The super fans are already rushing for 100% on one side and on the other side the critics are taking apart every new mechanic. And lastly, there are the people who are just glad to be able to shoot on their PlayStation or Xbox.
